PCRs on small children

[MooChops89]

Just got back from testing me and 3yo DD - she has a cough and I've got what I'm hoping is a cold but I've read that Delta has symptoms similar to a cold so thought I'd better test too.
It's DDs 4th PCR since it all began so she knows what's coming now. Its bloody brutal for them - she was absolutely hysterical, screaming, thrashing around, crying, "I don't want to do that Mummy" so I barely got the swab up her nose, it's probably going to be inconclusive so we'll have to isolate either way. I just had to give up and submit her test anyway, I was sobbing at having put her through it. She's fine now.
I probably won't do one on her again, which means each time she brings a bug home from nursery she can't go back in and I miss 10 days of work when we're already so short staffed and struggling.
I wish there was a nicer way to test little ones! What have your toddlers been like having them done??

Not much practical advice to give I’m afraid, but just wanted to express sympathy for you and your little one. It must have been a horrible experience for you both. We’re incredibly lucky in that DD (3) has so far never needed a test, and because I’m currently a SAHM we can suck up the isolation if DD is ill or a close contact at nursery. I wouldn’t subject her to a PCR unless I had absolutely no other choice.

I’m slightly astounded that, over a year in, we are still doing this to kids and no one has come up with a less brutal and invasive alternative.

The best way to test a young child is actually to get a home test and swab their nose whilst they asleep, hope this helps for the future!

@cls123 that is a great idea! Can’t believe I haven’t thought of that. Thanks v much.

OP we have literally had same experience. 3 year old, 4th test now, very distressed child asking why her parents were hurting her. Ours came back inconclusive, we did it again and just got negative this morning. Absolutely awful, we're not testing her ever again.

I've decided not to do one again on my 5 year old. It honestly feels unreasonably cruel, she just can't tolerate it.

And I'm not usually a softy on medical issues, she's had all her vaccinations etc despite protests and tears.

PCR saliva tests are available but obviously only privately at a cost. I'm going to bite the bullet and pay for a private test if a PCR test is absolutely essential in the future.

I’ve managed to get away with only having to do one throughout this whole thing on DD, when she was 2. Luckily she doesn’t tend to pick up colds or get those symptoms, because it was fucking awful doing the test on her. I also can’t believe a better way hasn’t been found for children.

My kids responded well to strawberries and chocolate bribery for theirs. Appreciate how hard it is though :( I think the idea of getting an at home one and swabbing when they're in deep sleep is genius - certainly worth a go!

For some reason only know to Jesus Christ himself DS5 Threw his head forward when it was up his nose (followed by screams of IT TOUCHED MY BRAIN!!! And 25 minutes of serious hysterics). I refused to do it on him after that. It’s brutal.

@N4ish

PCR saliva tests are available but obviously only privately at a cost. I'm going to bite the bullet and pay for a private test if a PCR test is absolutely essential in the future.

I'm not in the UK but they did the saliva test for one of my children at school after being a close contact. It was so quick and none of the children were bothered by it. Wish they would use them all the time, at least for children. Seems so much nicer. I have no idea about their accuracy or anything though.

It was bad enough doing one on my 6yo, I can’t imagine having to put a toddler through it 😭 there’s got to be a better way! Will def try the sleeping trick if we have to do another 👍

The sleeping trick sounds good! We do saliva tests at work (NHS), I agree they'd be much easier for kids!
I wondered if I was being a bit soft, I'm glad I'm not alone in finding them awful!

It's hideous, my two year old recognises the testing centre now and freaks out before we even get in. He's absolutely fine afterwards (with biscuits swiftly administered), but we basically have to hold him down.

I’ve had to do two and never will again. It’s assault. I wouldn’t forcibly hold an adult down and shove a swab up their nose, so no fucking way I’m doing it to my child again. It’s brutal and awful and I felt like the worst mum in the world, both times. Never again.

I’ve done about 10 on my 2.5 and 4.5 year old.

It’s horrible, but lasts 10 sec, much rather that than 10 days at home! That would be 100 days at home so far!!!

I finally had to have one done a couple of weeks ago, and I had burning pain in my nose for nearly 24 hours afterwards. This is due to my own physiology I assume, aggravated by surgery during childhood- in any case I've heard for most people it is apparently unpleasant but not very painful.

In any case, after how horrible it was for me (won't be doing one again, no way!) I couldn't force it on my kids.

I do realize that I'm in a fortunate situation to not need to test my kids though. My heart really goes out to parents having to deal with this, it must be really awful.

I don’t usually get stressed when medical procedures are carried out on my kids. I accept it has to be done and remain calm hold them and get it over with. But PCR tests are brutal and I agree with you OP my 9yr old was distraught having to do another one after her first one she knew what was coming. I’m starting to get tired of the LFTs I do twice weekly for work now as well. It’s really unpleasant.

Do a home test and get in some practice in advance with lateral flow tests. We practiced with cotton buds initially but now do regular lateral flows to keep him used to them. We also use chocolate as a bribe.

Dd 8, has undiagnosed asthma, we know it’s asthma as DS has the same but for some reason doctors won’t diagnose her, she gets a morning cough 2 times a year, been this way since she was 18 months, school got funny and said she’s not allowed in until she’s done the pcr test....so that was a mission, her tongue kept going up naturally, I managed to get about 8/9 seconds for the tonsils. The nose wasn’t an issue except when I’d finished she had Sneezing fit. I also noticed a bit of the chocolate cake she had had 2 hours before despite her having lots of drinks before the test.

Just done a fourth test on my 15 month old (he's basically had one a month since he started nursery in March!). He's always in the sling which makes it a bit easier, doesn't like it much and jerks his head away. If he sleeps on the way to the testing centre he always seems to wake up when we arrive!

I've now done seven (all negative) on my almost three year old. Last summer when we wasn't even two was pretty awful, but as the year has gone on, he understands more and looks forward to the biscuits he gets!

We've done them all as drive through, so he's in his car seat, and ask him before he goes what treats and toys he wants to take, plus make it into an adventure. And he likes the fifty-odd speed bumps (giant mountains!) we have to drive over on our adventure.

Honestly, I think I'm bonkers but the most recent one last week was unbelievably straightforward after I threw all of my creativity at it!

@Timeisavirtue

You don’t need to do tonsils for kids just nose